Szczepan Twardoch Wins 2026 Nike Literary Award
Poland’s most prestigious literary prize, the Nike, was awarded to Szczepan Twardoch for his newest novel ‘Null’. Critics and readers agreed, with the Readers’ Award also going to him and proving that we as society truly needed such a powerful story from the front lines of the Ukrainian war.
‘Literature has the power to change; this book has that power,’ said Witold Bereś, chair of the award committee. In his laudatory speech, he emphasised that good literature springs from a particular time and place:
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It is that mirror carried along the main road. The mirror reflects not only heroism, solidarity and grand words. It also reflects fear, fanaticism and cruelty. But this context certainly does not determine whether ‘Null’ should win the prize. [What makes that determination is that] it is outstanding literature.
Upon receiving the award, Szczepan Twardoch emphasised that his novel had no central thesis and was not advocating for any particular cause. ‘Literature exists to tell the truth.’ He also pointed out that ‘the novel is the best tool at our disposal for reflecting on the human condition, on what it means to be human.’
The war in Ukraine takes on the form of a brutal novel in Twardoch’s Null. At the forefront is not only the reality of war, but also the complex German-Ukrainian-Polish identity of the main character. The story intertwines with the present day, creating a fictionalised, reportage-style portrayal of a linguistically disjointed, ruthless crime.
The Nike Literary Award has often shown that it can be fickle, and that readers’ tastes don’t necessarily align with the jury’s verdict. This time, however, was different. The award was presented for the 30th time on 4 October 2026. The gala ceremony at the Warsaw University Library was graced by a musical performance by Maniucha Bikont, who premiered songs written by the late Marcin Wicha, winner of the 2018 Nike Literary Award.
Along with Twardoch, the seven Nike finalists included Anna Bikont, Dorota Grabek, Justyna Kulikowska, Krzysztof Łapiński, Weronika Murek and Zyta Rudzka.